Malaga fair and trade centre's director resigns to join private company

Head of the fair and trade centre in Malaga (Fycma) Ignacio Román has resigned after just two years as director. He is starting a new career chapter as an executive at an international telecommunications and technology company.

The city council has announced that Lisardo Morán Urdiales, who has been the managing director of the public company for tourism and sports management of the Andalusian regional government since 2023, is taking over Román's post.

Román took over from Yolanda Aguilar (current deputy regional minister of tourism) who was in charge of Fycma from 2003 to 2022. He is now returning to the private sector, where he has management experience in companies such as Vodafone.

Lisardo Morán holds a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Wales and is a C-level executive. According to the city council, he specialises in "the internationalisation of destinations, attracting major global event, such as San Diego Comic-Con Málaga, the Latin Grammys and the Davis Cup and Copa del Rey basketball finals, and negotiating with multinational brands".

"He has also led the strategic direction of international campaigns like Andalusian Crush and Frames de Andalucía, which have garnered prestigious awards," the city council says.

Morán will have the same salary as Román: a basic remuneration of 62,000 euros plus a benefit of 35 per cent of that remuneration and a variable of 40 per cent.

The board meeting of municipal company Promálaga on Wednesday is going to approve his appointment.

The same meeting will also revolve around the regulations governing access to Núcleo, the semiconductor innovation hub. This new business incubation space in the Promálaga co-working building at the TechPark develops a semiconductor ecosystem, "with specific reference to areas such as integrated circuit design (IC design), FPGAs, integrated photonics, power electronics, MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) and associated software".

Access to Núcleo is open to individuals or legal entities in the semiconductor sector and associated technologies. It also welcomes professionals from complementary fields, such as specialised technology consulting or intellectual and industrial property, among others.

The maximum incubation period will be three years and renewal will be automatic, provided the incubated company is up to date with its obligations, unless either party withdraws with one month's notice.

Núcleo may offer companies specialised services such as technical mentoring, networking, training, support in finding funding and access, subject to availability, specific technological infrastructures and resources for deep tech projects.

The monthly fee for a co-working space is 100 euros, while open-plan offices cost nine euros per square metre and private offices ten euros per square metre. The car park is 50 euros per month.

All prices are exclusive of IVA. Núcleo is linked to the future IMEC hub: one of the world's most advanced microelectronics and nanotechnology centre, which will open its first centre outside of Belgium at the TechPark.